Trying to make some banana bread, but the bananas you have at hand are green and not ripe enough?
Can you just microwave bananas to make them ripe right away? How do you ripen bananas in the microwave?
Let’s explore more about this method. In this blog post, We will further explain if it’s a good idea to ripen bananas in the microwave and how it works. Without further ado, dive in!
Can You Ripen Banana in the Microwave?
Can you put a banana in the microwave to ripen? The short answer is YES!
You definitely can ripen bananas by microwaving them. This method is not only possible but also the quickest and most efficient way to ripen bananas.
This method is feasible because the bananas would become ripe when they go through heat.
However, the most tricky part is always the HOW. Below, we will show you the quickest and foolproof way to ripen bananas in the microwave.
How Do You Ripen Bananas in the Microwave?
How to ripen bananas in the microwave? How long do you microwave bananas to ripen them?
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to ripen bananas in the microwave:
1. Poke the banana.
First, you would want to poke the bananas through the peel with a fork. After poking, there should be loads of holes on the banana.
And for this step, you would need to poke every side of the banana. Therefore, the banana could receive the heat evenly when it’s put in the microwave.
2. Microwave the banana.
Now you can put the banana in the microwave and heat it for around 30 seconds. When the cooking time is over, you will have perfectly ripened bananas waiting in the microwave.
Easy, right? In just a few minutes, you effortlessly ripen the bananas to your liking. Now it’s ready for you to mash it or slice it for your own purpose.
Why Ripen Bananas in the Microwave?
There are many reasons why people would want to quickly ripen bananas. Some may want to quickly ripen bananas and use them for banana bread, banana cake or other recipes. Mashed bananas are perfect to add to toasts, too.
Some would need to quickly ripen bananas and apply the ripened bananas to hair as hair masks. It is believed to be a great method to hydrate hair.
However, it could be very frustrating to wait for days till the bananas ripen naturally, especially when you already have your heart set on certain recipes or usages involving ripened bananas.
And microwaving the banana could significantly shorten the ripening process. Thus, it can save you days of time waiting for the banana to ripen.
Another reason why we ripen bananas in the microwave is the convenience. This method requires no special tools or skills. Thus, microwaving is no doubt the most convenient way to quickly ripen bananas.
Alternative Methods to Ripen Bananas
If you do not desire to ripen bananas in the microwave, there are alternative methods to help you quickly ripen bananas.
1. Wrapping
You can put the bananas in a paper bag or ziplock bag. Bananas will naturally produce ethylene gas in it, and then the ethylene gas will be trapped in the bag. The ethylene gas trapped in the bag would speed up the ripening process.
If you want to even shorten the ripening process, add another ethylene-producing fruit into the closed bag for more ethylene gas. Common ethylene-producing fruits include apple, avocado and tomatoes.
2. Warm temperature
Bananas tend to ripen faster in warm temperatures. Therefore, instead of placing the bananas in the fridge, it would be wiser to put the banana where it’s warmer.
If you had a banana in a hot car or lying on the stove top while something was in the oven, the bananas are bound to ripen much faster.